Strasbourg, 31/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - At the time of leaving his post, the Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe, Alvaro Gil-Robles, published his final report together with eleven follow-up reports concerning Malta (immigration policy, inappropriate detention conditions, excessive detention duration and illegal stay), Slovenia (protection of minorities, non-discrimination and situation of Roma), Slovakia (Roma), Romania (Romania, children in institutions and mental patients), Czech Republic (racism, xenophobia, problems encountered by the Roma, including forced sterilisation of the women, detention of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers), Norway (national and native minorities, asylum seekers, conscientious objectors, children's rights), Bulgaria (situation of Roma), Greece (freedom of religion and conscience, minority and foreign groups), and Cyprus (immigrants, human trafficking and treatment of the mentally ill).
Alvaro Gil-Robles's term of office came to an end on 31 March 2006. Thomas Hammarberg of Sweden, former Secretary General of Amnesty International, the Olof Palme Foundation and Save the Children, will take up his duties on 3 April.